, 1887-09-29

She slept again and, waking, found the
darkness half gone. Her wrapper lay on
q chair close by. Under the blanket,
even, she was shivering; and it looked
warm. She rose and wrapped 1t about
her, went to the window and looked out.
Listening there she heard voices in the
distance. They came from the negroes
quarters, so she knew they had returned
She tried to leave the window to go to
bed, but something held her. The half
light was painful TO her eyes, and, shield
ing them with her hand, she waited for
the sur to burst. She would see it for
the last time in all its splendor in the
southern land. A cleaning bit Of white
stuff caught her sight. 1t appeared to be
wound o the trees trunk.
Some remnant of the ball, she thought.
She still was looking at it when the u
directed her powerful rays full upon it
on n face with eyes wide open meeting it
uufiinchingly-on partedl lips and still
brow. With a cry which woke her sister,
Pauline pointed to the dead face of
Natella, staring at her-at the sun.
TIL birds had begun their fighting and
their songs. The acorns still were drop
ping and the leaf swept not the cheek Of
Pauline but the cold glass of the closed
window, and seemed to mind not.
III e wants hlGN hOllllukf I'll COulu
but sob and wiring their hands. Lord,
Almighty! Lord, Almighty was their
refrain. Taute sternly, with the tears
running down her cheeks, questioned
separately one and all as they gathered
together in the drawing room. Up stairs
was the doctor. He Low came and, with
his hand resting or the door, bowed to
Tante.
The girl has been poisoned. She was
overtaken, my dear lady. without doubt,
by the spasms in the spot where she was
found. As the servant tell me-, she left
them apparently well at their quarters to
come to her room in the house"
The doctor bowed solemnly n was
shown out. Tante motioned the fright
ened group away. mo crying, no
screeching, near this house" She said it
fiercely as they went by.
''Tante, dear, but 1t is better we should
leave tonight, for you see how excited
Pauline is, and the change is necessary at
once for her."
Theo stroked the white hand gently.
eyes, the answer came sadly. "Pau-
line is not herself"
Harold went with them to the station,
and Pauline wondered why it was that no
one saw, as she did, how old and harsh
looking he had growni
"Harold, - they are standing alone to-
gether at the station. Harold, l found
this in the cushion of the carriage coming
here" He caught her hand which held
the ring and pressed it tightly. His face
was turned from hers. The ring pierced
her cruelty, and iuvoluntarlly he ex-
claimed: Cousin, sweet little cousin, a
thousand pardons and as many thanks"
The ring was on his finger. The hat was
close drawn over his eyes. The train com-
ing in, Pauline hastened for the last time
to bid goodby to Taute.
Your ear, dear, give 1t to me. L must
whisper" She drew her down.
"Pierre, you know Pierre, my handsome
coachman. He has not been seen since
last night, and L heard he was in a bad
temper at the ball because Natella proudly
refused to lance with him. He must have
mixed the poison at the supper. Natella,
my beautiful Natella, f" and weeping bit
terly Pauline left her, with the curtains
of her carriage closely drawn.
Harold Graham, n week after the girls
departure, sailed for Europe, to be gone
for several years. Tante, dear soul, was
broken hearted about it, as well as-Theo.
Roma Virginia in The Home Journal.